The birds are chirping, the grass is green, and flowers are blooming. Spring, with no snow, is finally here. While the Easter Bunny visited many homes today, leaving a trail of jelly beans, colored eggs, and chocolate, many folks are headed to church or to family gatherings since it is Easter Sunday. In the know on what to wear were those who attended fashion shows for fun and charity.

Scintilla, presented by the Garden Club Forum of the Toledo District April 10 at the Premier, featured a Fashion Runway by Macy’s.

The day also included display tables from Toledo Botanical Garden, Bench Farms, Garden Smiles by Carruth, and others; lunch; raffle baskets by area garden clubs; a silent auction for The Andersons gift card, Expresso Car Wash, Home Depot garden package, Toledo Symphony tickets, and more; and a makeup demonstration by Estee Lauder.

Event chairmen were Sara Moomaw and Susan Noss of River Road Garden Club. They were assisted by Coletta Allen, Forum president, and Marilyn Welborn of the Anthony Wayne Garden Club; Darlene Carpenter, Kathy Nelson, and Susan Utterback of the Maumee Garden Club; and Marcia Gardiner and Mona Macksey, also of the Anthony Wayne Garden Club.

Fashion on a High Note ... Hats Off, a fashion show and high tea to benefit the Toledo Symphony Orchestra March 15 at Carranor Hunt and Polo Club, raised $5,000, according to Deborah Born, event chairman.

Boutiques such as Kelly Wallace of Premiere Designs jewelry, Purselove, and Arbonnen healthy products were represented during the social hour. Bidding wars erupted during the silent auction for the Peninsula Chicago hotel stay, Beirut Restaurant certificates, a garden sculpture from Black Diamond Perrysburg, and a makeup certificate from Make Me Blush.

Everyone sat for the High Tea followed by the parade of new spring lines from Elegant Rags, Designs by Mona (Mona Malik, owner/local designer), VCouture, Doncaster by stylist Lucy Williams Maish, and Ragazza.

The models were provided by the John Casablancas Modeling Center along with Mary Clark, Virginia and Molly Keller, Debbie Knight, and Lisa Wolfe, all of Perrysburg.

Encouraged to wear hats, some guests came in designs created by local milliner Stephanie Scigliano of Olive M’lou of Ottawa Hills.

The crowd of about 75 attendees came from the Toledo area, Archbold, Carey, Bowling Green, Napoleon, Upper Sandusky, and Temperance.

Hues of purple flowers, candles, and more decorated the room for the Victory Center’s seventh annual luncheon and fashion show “Passionate in Purple” presented by ProMedica Cancer Institute at the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg on St. Valentine’s Day. Raised was $39,000 for the center’s free services and programs that are intended to see that no cancer patient, survivor, or family member will face the cancer journey alone.

The 550 attendees perused the raffle baskets and were enticed by handsome men in white shirts and purple ties to buy tickets. In the crowd were cancer survivors, identified by the purple ribbons they wore, compliments of Laura Dosch, committee member/cancer survivor. A free survivor raffle was for a necklace donated by Stella & Dot. Ragazza donated 300 purple scarves to sell for the cause.

Ann Kujawa, ProMedica Cancer Institute, welcomed everyone. Emcee was Chrys Peterson, who has since retired from WTOLTV, Channel 11, and has been the honorary race chairman of the Komen Race for the Cure for 20 years.

Featured speaker/survivor Barb Hankenhof said her faith and hope have been crucial but she raved about the compassionate nurses and doctors, the Victory Center for its support of body and mind, and the support of her family and friends.

The next big Victory Center event is “EXPERIENCE… Treasures!” on May 2 at Parkway Place. There will be raffle prizes, a live auction, tastes of signature wines, beer and delectable food samples, and live music by Skoobie Snaks.

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